When Liverpool won their Premier League match at Stamford Bridge last month the victorious manager was not just observing protocol when he spoke up for his opposite number. Kenny Dalglish pointed out what André Villas-Boas had lately achieved with Porto while landing the 2011 Europa League and also winning the Portuguese League undefeated.

That domestic title is not to be taken lightly, particularly now that Benfica have topped a Champions League qualifying group in which Manchester United were eliminated. It will please Villas-Boas that he no longer needs Dalglish or anyone else to speak up for him. Inflicting a first Premier League defeat of the campaign on Manchester City with a 2-1 success showed that the transition to the English scene is well within his scope, following as it did the convincing 3-0 victory at Newcastle United nine days previously.

He had his good fortune since the visitors were mystifyingly denied a penalty, following José Bosingwa's challenge on David Silva, that could have sent them into a 2-0 lead, but by the end his influence had been felt. After the tidal wave of 48 goals for City in the previous 14 league fixtures, there was only one to be had on Monday. It came early, when Villas-Boas's side looked overwhelmed, but that incisiveness dwindled over the course of the evening.

While the occasion might have gone differently for Chelsea, the manager looks as if he knows how to scramble his way through trouble. After Mario Balotelli's early goal Villas-Boas's men survived that penalty appeal and then restricted the opposition. It was hard work and the exclusion of Frank Lampard made sense, even if he did come off the bench in time to convert the penalty that secured victory.

The midfielder suggested that there was some sort of mystery to his exclusion from the starting XI but it may be that tact alone stops Villas-Boas from explaining that a 33-year-old box-to-box midfielder is dangerously close to being a contradiction in terms. Perhaps Lampard should have counted himself lucky on Monday since he had been an unused substitute when Valencia were overcome in the decisive Champions League group game last week.

That crashing spot-kick from him on Monday is unlikely to have made any great impression on the Chelsea manager. Villas-Boas is in the initial phase of tuning the lineup. In the 4-3-3 system the need for the midfield trio to restrain themselves will often be a factor when three attackers have already been committed in front of them.

In the centre of the pitch Villas-Boas depends on the industry of Ramires and Raul Meireles, even if the latter also got forward to hit the equaliser against City. The other member of the trio, the former Barcelona player Oriol Romeu, is more interesting since there is technique to the 20-year-old that suggests he could evolve into a playmaker of sorts despite his deep position. There was a bad slip that might have led to a second goal for City but he can be expected to mature.

So far as Villas-Boas's relationship with the squad is concerned, it can merely be said that they have made a start on delivering results. There is some way to go before the lineup is seen as an expression of the manager's vision but individuals have served him well. Didier Drogba's endeavours were remarkable when he harried Valencia with two of the three goals despite seeming to lack close support for much of the time.

The calendar implies that Villas-Boas has barely begun his work at Stamford Bridge but 33 goals in the Premier League so far puts him on course to exceed last season's tally of 69 comfortably. While the owner, Roman Abramovich, expects more than just fun for the sums he has plunged into the club, it must be gratifying for the owner to witness the flair of Juan Mata, the deep-lying attacker who has excelled since being bought from Valencia in the summer.

Despite the appreciation for that sort of player, the main purpose of Villas-Boas is to accommodate such talents in a well-integrated side. With John Terry recovering form, steadiness was apparent on Monday as Chelsea checked City to some extent. Indeed enough pressure was applied for Gaël Clichy to be sent off with a pair of bookings before an hour had been completed.

The left-back was in the side because of an injury to Aleksandar Kolarov and, with Micah Richards also out of action, Pablo Zabaleta was on the other flank. The centre-back Kolo Touré was brought on to play at full-back after the red card. It did not look as if City truly are equipped for all eventualities. Opponents will take heart and Chelsea, while pursuing their own ambitions, have also encouraged the other clubs.